Squirrel Monkeys Take Showers With Their Own Urine

Squirrel monkeys are certainly not discrete when they need the toilet. In fact, urinating is not only for relief, but also for having a wash. These tiny monkeys bathe in their own urine, called ‘urine washing’, for a number of reasons: to mark their territory, to communicate with other members of their troop, and for a cooling effect through evaporation.

The common squirrel monkey is captured for the pet trade and for medical research but it is not threatened.